Towards the end of Bristol City’s 0-0 draw with Coventry City at Ashton Gate, Joe Williams sent in an in-swinging cross that was over the heads of both Andi Weimann and Nahki Wells, but had enough flight and spin to suggest that someone could gamble on it at the far post.
But instead the ball continued on its flight, with no one in red and white, or even sky blue, following up, allowing the visiting defence to take a breath, rub their heads and go again as Ben Wilson lined up a goal kick.
It sort of told the story of the second half where cross upon cross - 42, according to WhoScored, and 16 via the boot of Jay Dasilva - was sent into the area and only nine found a man bearing City colours.
That statistic is, to some extent, credit to Coventry’s defending, but also slightly damning of the Robins approach, whereby 90 per cent of their play on the ball was encouraging, until they got into the final third, unable to execute with any great accuracy or variation.
As that ball floated beyond the far post and touched the barriers in front of the South Stand, Weimann struck Mark Sykes a look, almost demanding a response in its intensity, before sending some coarse words towards the Northern Irishman that, even from our elevated position in the Lansdown Stand, didn’t require much translation.
Essentially the message was, why didn’t you go for it. Hindsight is liberally applied when reviewing all sporting contests, both in a wider sense and then to the micro details that make up a match. But, even speaking from our position of being totally and utterly incapable of playing professional football, it was curious why Sykes hadn’t made the decision to attack the ball.
The 25-year-old appeared almost rooted to his channel, roughly five yards inside the right-hand touchline, and roughly the time that is required to read this sentence was replicated in his hesitancy, and the moment had passed.
Sykes undoubtedly knew what could have happened as Weimann fired some verbals, which were possibly as much in frustration at the overall situation, as they were being directly critical of a teammate, but it mattered little as Wilson sent his clearance downfield.
What we think we know
Now 10 starts into his City career, after a summer of curiosity over what sort of player the Robins were signing, we’re starting to form a better picture of Sykes; albeit in a position he hasn’t played that much, and certainly not at Championship level.
That should consistently be applied when analysing his performances and impact so far, because in truth while we think we sort of know about Sykes, equally we, and probably him as well, don’t know his full capabilities in the role he’s currently being asked to play.
But that incident highlighted a significant degree of development still required of him, and one that is also interesting given his apparent attributes.
Upon his arrival, Sykes was asked on Robins TV as to what his favoured position was. Sensibly unwilling to pigeonhole himself, he replied, diplomatically: “My manager at Oxford preferred me playing on the right of a front three but I’ve always been a midfielder growing up. I ended up playing at wing-back occasionally because we did so well and we got a few results.
"So, for me it’s probably anywhere across the front three but, listen, if I’m on the pitch then I’m more than happy.”
As it stands, outside of pre-season, we’re yet to see him in any of those roles as he’s ostensibly been a right wing-back since Kane Wilson wasn’t fit enough to play against Bournemouth on July 23. Although, let’s be honest with what Pearson has at his disposal in the final third, he may be waiting a while for an attacking berth.
There’s no doubt he’s enjoyed an impressive and impactful first two months as a Championship footballer, bringing energy - his fitness levels surely have to be towards the Weimann end of the scale - tenacity, bite in the tackle (too much, on one occasion) natural width and drive with a willingness to work up and down that touchline, with focus equally applied to the attacking end and the defensive one.
If we’re considering what Sykes was at Oxford, what he’s told us and what we probably think of him in these early days, the latter would be considered the weaker part of his game. Unlike, say, if George Tanner was out there.
And while any fallibilities that may lurk on that side of the ball have been steadily targeted, most notably and successfully by QPR, in the main he’s defended reasonably well, certainly helped by Zak Vyner’s positive start to the season.
As a side point, we should also not forget that not only is Vyner focusing on his own game, and trying to iron out his own creases, he’s having to cover the space behind a player growing into and learning a new position. That is cause for some serious patting of the defender’s back.
Like all around him Sykes could get better defensively but it’s a quirk of these first 10 games, and to return to the incident at the start of all this, that his most notable weakness has, and it’s certainly been pronounced of late, been his attacking productivity.
Not wanting to hang the man too much on his own words, or to draw too much significance from one passage of play, but for a player who had considered himself most comfortable on the right of a front three, to have not gambled on that ball on Tuesday night seems odd. Surely that instinct is very much part of your make-up.
City like, when possible, to play high, wide and handsome, with Dasilva and Sykes pushed right up the pitch, either offering passing options for the midfield to stretch the play, or drawing defenders out to them and creating holes for Weimann and the strikers to punch into. Positionally, his spacing makes the pitch seem so much bigger, allowing the midfielders greater room to breathe.
It stands to reason that when they’re stationed so far up the field in possession, if there is a focus on crossing the ball, a necessary tactic on Tuesday night without the craft of Alex Scott, then gambling on a diagonal would likely reap some benefits.
From the other side of that argument, clearly Sykes needs to work a bit on his crossing – of his seven balls directed into the area against Coventry, just one found its intended recipient. And, according to WhoScored, over the season he’s averaging 25 per cent accuracy from that type of pass.
In mitigation regarding Tuesday, it should be considered that, yes, City as a team only found a man with nine of their 42 crosses, but without a physical striker like Chris Martin to aim for aerially, and Coventry’s central defenders all standing at just over 6ft, it was always likely to end up with that sort of ratio.
But when he’s in such positions, Sykes needs to make it count and while it's perhaps a touch unfair for a hybrid player to focus so much on their attacking output, it’s very much relevant to what we’re talking about.
Of players to have made at least one Championship start, Sykes ranks eighth in the City squad for key passes per 90 - defined as a pass leading to a goal - with 0.7. It’s worth pointing out that the list doesn't include Wilson, who’s yet to start a game, but has four key passes in the 74 minutes he’s been on the field which equates to 4.9 per 90, but those numbers are obviously skewed quite a bit.
One metric he does lead the squad for is dribbles per 90 at 2.8, albeit slightly undone by the fact just 0.9 have been successful on average, placing him joint fourth alongside Scott and Antoine Semenyo who are averaging 1.9 and 1.4 attempts, respectively, and operating in more crowded areas of the pitch.
Yes, it can be argued that a wing-back is as much a defensive player as an attacking one but that’s also dependent on how the manager uses them, and in this version of Pearson’s City, particularly at home where they’re enjoying increasing amounts of possession, it’s on the offensive end of the scale.
It’s the most basic of all statistics but does further the narrative as Sykes has mustered just four shots all season, none of which have been on target. Of regular starting outfield players, only Matty James (3) and Zak Vyner (2) have fewer.
You can forgive that to an extent, given when you’re operating in such wide areas, you’re largely receiving the ball in low percentage shooting areas so it doesn’t make a lot of sense to take aim. But, again, Sykes is a forward/attacking midfielder by trade and part of that residual benefit of that should be his desire to enter the penalty area.
Ultimately, a lot of this is based on assumption because we don’t know what he’s been told and we have to consider that his mission is to remain wide and not get sucked into a central position, vacating acres of space on his flank which then leaves Vyner exposed to a counter.
He may not be told that, but there could also be an inclination from Sykes to hold his position and not drift, given how relatively alien it is to him with his focus on positional discipline and, over time, knowing when to pick and choose his moments and attack those spaces at the far post or move infield will come.
Interestingly enough, it was a theme of City’s early pre-season work, that when Sykes or Weimann were in the centre, Wilson was drifting into the middle ground on occasions with the designated No10 then filling his spot on the right. As yet, that hasn’t quite clicked in real time Championship play without the former Forest Green defender involved, but could still happen.
We also need to consider a point raised a few paragraphs ago about the changing nature of the challenge for City and what that means for Sykes. As discussed by Andy King, opposition teams, aware of the threat the Robins pose on the counter, are increasingly willing to play with a low block at Ashton Gate and allow the hosts to have the ball.
It’s precisely what Coventry did on Tuesday night, particularly after half-time, content with keeping Viktor Gyokores up to try and hurt the City defence in transition.
For players such as Sykes, and Weimann to an extent, it robs them of the habitat in which they tend to thrive - with space in front to accelerate into.
Sykes, at the moment, isn’t as effective when City are playing horizontally, needing quick movement around an organised defence. He’s at his best with grass ahead of him and runners around him. When teams sit deep, preventing City from countering, those situations become increasingly rare.
It’s up to him to adapt his game accordingly, which isn’t an easy task but is all part of the new landscape he’s operating in; in a new league with a new position to master, and now a slightly new approach needed.
Pearson branded Sykes a “quick learner” in the wake of his eye-catching competitive debut at Hull City on July 30, and Coventry has provided him with more homework to further his Championship education.
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